About Maria
MARIA SILMON
‘Art of Nature'
Maria has been a clothes designer and artist for many years, and now works in the mediums of digital art, photography and video.
She regularly exhibits her work
Previous exhibitions of art and video include:
North Yorkshire Open Studios,
Ryedale Folk Museum,
Duckett and Jeffreys Gallery, Malton,
the Chalice Well
and Goddess Conference in Glastonbury,
Sunrise Festival in Somerset,
and the British Society of Dowsers Conference.
She has recently created video installations for The Gallery at Ryedale Folk Museum, the Deer Shed Festival in Thirsk and Coastival Festival, Scarborough.
Maria grew up listening to stories of her Great Grandfather, a spiritual healer and herbalist who had visitations from an American Indian guide, who he conversed with in fluent native tongue - having not previously learnt the language.
These stories she believes, account for an awareness of her own spiritual development, and fascination with the natural world from an early age.
Her journey has taken her to foreign lands to visit the Mayan architecture of the pyramid temples in the Yucatan, where she joined the first ‘Solar Initiation Tour’ with Hunbatz Men, a Mayan priest; to the Native American Indian dwellings of Mesa Verde and to the Hopi settlements of Arizona, where she felt blessed to be invited to a weekend of Kachina Dances in a Hopi village. Her last travel was a 6-month pilgrimage through Sri-Lanka and India, visting many temples of the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths.
Maria is currently working on a project relating to the Solar Festivals.
Her latest venture has been to convert a vintage caravan to a bright pink pedal-powered mini cinema. She took this to the Deer Shed Festival last year and aims to do the same this year, as well as to other venues in the Summer months.
Her influences include Arthur Rackham, Richard Dadd , John Anster Fitzgerald & many other Victorian fairy painters. Andy Goldsworthy, Vik Muniz, Richard Long, Coco Chanel, and for Video – Bill Viola. For inspirational philosophy and spirituality - Yogananda, The Theosophical Society, Zoence, Gatekeeper Trust and Sir George Trevelyan, herald of the New Age!!
Work in Progress:
* Rock Art project.
• Illustrating and writing a booklet about the solar festivals.
• Collaborative documentary video on the importance of
celebrating the solar festivals.
• Compiling divination pack of cards with illustrated guide book.
‘Art of Nature'
Maria has been a clothes designer and artist for many years, and now works in the mediums of digital art, photography and video.
She regularly exhibits her work
Previous exhibitions of art and video include:
North Yorkshire Open Studios,
Ryedale Folk Museum,
Duckett and Jeffreys Gallery, Malton,
the Chalice Well
and Goddess Conference in Glastonbury,
Sunrise Festival in Somerset,
and the British Society of Dowsers Conference.
She has recently created video installations for The Gallery at Ryedale Folk Museum, the Deer Shed Festival in Thirsk and Coastival Festival, Scarborough.
Maria grew up listening to stories of her Great Grandfather, a spiritual healer and herbalist who had visitations from an American Indian guide, who he conversed with in fluent native tongue - having not previously learnt the language.
These stories she believes, account for an awareness of her own spiritual development, and fascination with the natural world from an early age.
Her journey has taken her to foreign lands to visit the Mayan architecture of the pyramid temples in the Yucatan, where she joined the first ‘Solar Initiation Tour’ with Hunbatz Men, a Mayan priest; to the Native American Indian dwellings of Mesa Verde and to the Hopi settlements of Arizona, where she felt blessed to be invited to a weekend of Kachina Dances in a Hopi village. Her last travel was a 6-month pilgrimage through Sri-Lanka and India, visting many temples of the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths.
Maria is currently working on a project relating to the Solar Festivals.
Her latest venture has been to convert a vintage caravan to a bright pink pedal-powered mini cinema. She took this to the Deer Shed Festival last year and aims to do the same this year, as well as to other venues in the Summer months.
Her influences include Arthur Rackham, Richard Dadd , John Anster Fitzgerald & many other Victorian fairy painters. Andy Goldsworthy, Vik Muniz, Richard Long, Coco Chanel, and for Video – Bill Viola. For inspirational philosophy and spirituality - Yogananda, The Theosophical Society, Zoence, Gatekeeper Trust and Sir George Trevelyan, herald of the New Age!!
Work in Progress:
* Rock Art project.
• Illustrating and writing a booklet about the solar festivals.
• Collaborative documentary video on the importance of
celebrating the solar festivals.
• Compiling divination pack of cards with illustrated guide book.